Oskar Blues, which has been canning its flagship Dales Pale Ale since 2002 and finally saw the rest of the industry catch on, has jumped past Odell Brewing to become the No. 2 craft brewery by volume in Colorado.

The Longmont-based brewery produced more than 59,000 barrels in 2011, up 40 percent over the previous year. Odell, which was founded almost a decade earlier, came in at just over 58,000 barrels, up 20 percent.

The undisputed king remains New Belgium of Fort Collins, at more than 712,00 barrels and about 8 percent growth. New Belgium will only grow larger with an imminent announcement of an East Coast brewery.

Our new iPad app serves as a guide to metro Denver’s bountiful breweries, beer bars and bottle shops, the holy trinity of craft beer enjoyment for followers and fans. Download the app for iPad .
Next time you head for a beer in Boulder, don’t forget your friend, Beers of Boulder and Boulder County, an iPad app from the Daily Camera. Download the app for iPad .

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In Colorado, our pint glasses overflow with excellent beer. New breweries, new batches, festivals every other week. How lucky are we? First Drafts is The Denver Post's beer blog aimed at helping you keep tabs on the state's ever-expanding craft beer culture. We offer a mash of news, event coverage, homegrown stories, tasting notes and tips to help you imbibe. Expert drinker or homebrewer? Let us know what you're loving about Colorado's beer scene. Not sure exactly what a firkin is? No worries, let us be your guide. Go ahead. Belly up and drink it in!